How To Clean A Smelly Wetsuit (Easy Tips!)


Are you wondering about the best ways you can clean the wetsuit that you use for diving, swimming, surfing, or snorkeling?

It is important to always clean your underwater equipment to prevent the accumulation of germs and serious infections in the long run.

Water gears like wetsuits can be easily overlooked as it seems like it gets immersed in water all the time and almost don’t look like it needs any cleaning at all every time you use them.

But, immediately you get out of the water, it is advisable to always take a shower with your wetsuit on to get rid of the dirt, chlorine, or salt water. 

And when you get home, make out time to rinse your wetsuit on both sides with clean cold, or lukewarm water and allow it to completely dry.

Properly washing them will break down the accumulation of the bacteria that initially caused your wetsuit to develop an odor.

Also, do you know using a dirty wetsuit for a long period with other factors can lead to lung diseases?

So this is why it is important to always properly clean and take care of your wetsuit and other water as often as you can.

In this guide, you will learn how to properly clean a wetsuit.


Dos and Don’ts of a Wetsuit

Before you clean a wetsuit, here are a few dos and don’ts you need to keep in mind to avoid any damage to your wetsuit:

  • Don’t wash with normal laundry detergent.
  • Don’t soak, wash or rinse in hot water. 
  • Don’t wash in a washing machine.
  • Don’t scrub forcefully 
  • Don’t wring after washing.
  • Don’t put it in a dryer.
  • Do dry away from direct sunlight.
  • Do keep an eye out for any sharp or pointy objects when handling your wetsuit.

How to Clean a Smelly Wetsuit

To clean a smelly wetsuit, you will need water, a special wetsuit cleaner or a baby detergent, a toothbrush, and patience.

Once you have all items, you can now follow the steps below to clean your smelly wetsuit: 

Step 1: Unzip all the zippers, if any, and turn the dirty wetsuit inside out.

Step 2: In a clean bowl, add clean color lukewarm water and stir in the wetsuit cleaner or baby detergent, let it stay in the water and submerge in it for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Next, bring out and lay out your wetsuit on a clean flat surface, and get a new toothbrush with normal or soft bristles.

Step 4: Wet the toothbrush and gently start scrubbing your wetsuit with it, every inch of it.

Step 5: After you are done, rinse both sides of the wetsuit thoroughly with cold or lukewarm water and hang it to dry somewhere clean and free of direct sunlight.

Step 6: If you feel your wetsuit is dry, turn it over to the other side and leave it to dry ensuring it is totally water free.

Read: Can Jellyfish Sting Through A Wetsuit?

Conclusion

And that is how to clean a smelly wetsuit using household items.

Some of these household items include: baby detergent, a soft toothbrush, and other items

Wetsuits are used almost all the time and are often neglected; not taking care of a wetsuit can be very dangerous to the user’s health.

However, before cleaning make sure that you go through the dos and don’ts in this guide.